Show ContentsBoothroit History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Welsh name Boothroit go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and Moors of Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Boothroit once lived in the settlement called Boothroyd in the West Riding of Yorkshire. However, there was also a place called Bodwrda in the county of Carnarvon. Alternatively, the family could have originated at Bodewryd; a location name in Anglesey, Wales. 1

Early Origins of the Boothroit family

The surname Boothroit was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Boothroyd where John del Botherode (1274) and Adam de Buderude (1296) were recorded at Wakefield. 2 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Ricardus de Botherod; Willelmus Bowderode; and Ricardus Butrode as all holding lands there at that time. 3

Early History of the Boothroit family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boothroit research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1768, 1785, 1790 and 1836 are included under the topic Early Boothroit History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boothroit Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Boothroit has occasionally been spelled Boothroyd, Bodwrd, Boddwryd, Bodwryd and others.

Early Notables of the Boothroit family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Benjamin Boothroyd (1768-1836), independent minister and Hebrew scholar, was born at Warley, in the parish of Halifax, Yorkshire, on 10 Oct. 1768, and was the son of a poor shoemaker there. He was sent to the village school, and left it when six years old, able to read the Old and New Testaments; although an unruly child, he taught himself figures and ciphering. He helped his father to make shoes for a time, but when about fourteen years old he ran away with only a few pence in his pocket. Making...
Another 117 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boothroit Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Boothroit family

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in search of land, work, and freedom. These immigrants greatly contributed to the rapid development of the new nations of Canada and the United States. They also added a rich and lasting cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Boothroit: Abraham Boothroyd who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1845; followed by Charles and Benjamin in 1856 and 1869 respectively; Jabez Boothroyd settled in Baltimore Maryland in 1823..



  1. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook